Harrods is presenting first significant perfume exhibition of recent times, The Perfume Diaries. A celebration of the fragrance industry, The Perfume Diaries chronicles the fascinating story of perfume from ancient times right through to modern day and beyond. Harrods reveal the amazing heritage behind fragrances on the market today, demonstrating the evolution of the world’s favourite scents.

The Exhibition is housed within a stylish contemporary exhibition space on the Fourth Floor of Harrods, The Perfume Diaries is a comprehensive view of the most significant and influential scents to have emerged since the 1800s; from Jicky to JLo and everything in between.

The Perfume Diaries is curated by Roja Dove. Roja has selected fragrances for their impact on the industry and their influence over the way in which we wear perfume today. Visitors to the exhibition will discover the inspiration behind the greatest classics – from the coveted jewels of Boucheron to the pioneers of Haute Couture, such as Christian Dior’s New Look collection which led to Dior’s first scent, Miss Dior. Original artwork sketch designs and advertising visuals, as well as personal anecdotes and photographs, are displayed alongside rare and exquisite flacons, sourced from archives all over the world.

The exhibition charts the evolution of fragrance decade by decade. Enthusiasts will learn how perfumers responded to and reflected society in their work, such as the oriental vanillic scents of the 1930s which arose as people looked for escapist fragrances following the Depression; the new green notes of the late 1940s, which resulted from the desire for a fresh start after the Second World War; and the brash over-powering scents of the greed-is-good 1980s.

The Perfume Diaries will also educate customers as to how fragrance is made, in an exciting collaboration with Givaudan which will explain the manufacture process and enable customers to touch, see and smell ingredients used in Perfumery – from the most common to the most precious.

Also exhibiting alongside Perfume Diaries is a retrospective of Estée Lauder's compacts. Every Christmas since 1963, Estée Lauder has introduced a collection of limited-edition solid perfume and powder compacts. From traditional cameos to art deco designs, these delicate pieces enjoy a worldwide following among collectors. To date there are approximately 770 solid perfume and powder compact designs.

Estée Lauder will be showcasing a rare selection of Harrods compacts from its archives as part of The Perfume Diaries at its exclusive Estée Lauder Harrods Compact Exhibit where some of the most covetable collectable compacts will be on display together with a preview of its Christmas 2010 collection. Visitors can collect an iPod upon arrival to be taken through the compact history with a special commentary recorded by Mrs. Evelyn Lauder.

A series of high-profile events during the exhibition will see the world’s finest and most revered perfumers talk about their work: These are as follows. Apart from The House of Guerlain, these are drop-in.

I've had a quick preview of the exhibition and I'll be returning for a more thorough look next weekend, but I can confidently say it's well worth several hours of any perfume-lover's time. Some of the bottles are absolute treasures.